A Pakistani firm M/s Energen Energy Generation is launching today for the first time an electricity-run, petrol-free motorcycle. According to the firm, the price of the bike ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000. The motorcycle is smoke-free and noiseless and will come in three models to be initially sold in Karachi only. The motorcycle comprises three basic parts - motor, battery box and controller. The removable battery box consists of four batteries of 12 volts each. After four hours of charging, the motorcycle can run up to 80 kilometres with a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour.

KARACHI (October 28 2005): Energent Efficient has announced to introduce a new electricity-based motorcycle and scooter. Energent Efficient Managing Director Azhar Ayub, while speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club here on Thursday, said.

Under the prevailing circumstances when neither petrol is cheap nor diesel and CNG, a petrol-free vehicle has become necessary for the low-income group.

"Our company after hectic research of three years has decided to introduce an "Electric Motorcycle" where you won't require petrol, diesel or CNG, he said, adding that this is in fact an invention of the West and at present it is popular in China.

"But we have manufactured this electric motorcycle keeping in view the circumstances of Pakistan. It is more compatible as compared to the motorcycles manufactured in China. Its speed in faster than the motorcycles plying in China and can carry more load and is more strong keeping in view the roads in Pakistan.

The price of the electric motorcycle and scooter ranged from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000, which is affordable by the low-income group. It is noise and smoke-free with normal maintenance cost. The travelling cost will reduce to as low as 15 paisa to 20 paisa per kilometre and no engine oil or other sort of things would be required.

He said that the battery of electric motorcycle would just require charging of four to five hours after which it can easily cover 70-80 kilometres.

"We would also provide leasing facility with easy instalments to the people for purchasing the motorcycle. "We would also provide them after-sale service and spare parts," he added.

He said that the new electric motorcycle would be launched in the market in the next few weeks.

It has the potential to be successful... Electric motor vehicles are far simpler mechanically than conventional internal combustional engines, there's no need for gears and all the associated parts. They also very efficient to run, and dont produce any of the pollution you get with the alternatives.

The only thing is that its noise free, people won't hear the bikes coming along.

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APMA delegation calls on EDB chief
LAHORE: The motorcycle industry in the country is progressing so well as manufacturing of motorcycles has touched the 0.7 million mark in financial year 2005-06.

This was revealed in a meeting between a delegation of Association of Pakistan Motorcycle Assemblers (APMA) with the CEO of Engineering Development Board (EDB), Imtiaz Rastgar here on Tuesday.

The meeting was informed that the volume of motorcycles, manufactured, was going to cross one million mark by the year 2010. The increasing volume has compelled the vendor industry to increase the production of parts accordingly.

The members of delegation pointed out that crank case, crankshaft, transmission, shaft rocker arm, spindle, complete kick starter, spindle gear and spindle cam chain, guide sprocket were in short supply as the production capacities of vendors for these parts are very low, as a result the gap between supply and demand is met by import. The situation can be judged from the fact that crankcase is manufactured mainly by only two companies but their production capacity is approx 6,000 sets per month.

It is pertinent to mention here that Honda is manufacturing the parts for 70cc motorcycles only.

The CEO advised the APMA delegation that they should not only encourage the existing vendors to increase their production but also provide impetus to investors to invest in this industry for rich dividends in short period. The scale of volumes involved was now enough for new entrants to come forward and start producing these parts to fill the gap between the supply and demand, he added.

As evident from the existing scenario, the gap between the supply and demand of the motorcycle parts is going to widen with the increase in production of motorcycles. This gap is an open invitation to the progressive businessmen for availing this opportunity and venturing in the manufacturing of main parts.

ISLAMABAD: The government plans to export 250,000 motorcycles in the current financial year and the Engineering Development Board (EDB) has asked the government to finalize the duty drawback facility for motorbikes’ export and incorporate it in the Trade Policy 2006-07, EDB CEO Imtiaz Rasgar told the Daily Times on Wednesday.

If the recommendation of the EDB was approved, large-scale export of motorcycles would begin from this fiscal.

The proposed export would earn foreign exchange of 150 million US dollars for the country, said the EDB vice chairman.

He said that the EDB is demanding nothing extraordinary in the coming Trade Policy. We simply want the government to grant the sector duty drawback facility, which is actually the right of any sector playing a role in the country’s exports.

Mr Rastgar said that the proposed export of motorcycles would be the first step towards the opening up of engineering sector for exports. This will also help the government to diversify exports, which are dominated by textiles having a share of around 70 percent in the total exports.

“The government has been striving for diversification of exports. In this regard, the EDB has sent its recommendation for taking steps on behalf of the government to encourage motorbikes’ export in the current fiscal,” he said.

The motorbikes’ export will encourage other industry in the engineering sector to play their role in increasing the exports of the country. We need to enhance our exports. For this the government must encourage the engineering sector, he added.

In the recommendation, the EDB has asked the Central Board of Revenue to return customs duties to the tune of 5-10 percent to the manufacturers on motorbikes’ export. They pay the customs duty on the import of raw material. This is a just demand of the manufacturers, an official said.

The government has the facility of duty drawback for exporters in various sectors. The government has been providing compensatory duty drawback facility on textile exports. Under the compensatory facility, the textile sector is paid more than they pay in customs duty on the import of raw material, the official said. “In other words, the government subsidizes the export of cotton goods,” the official said.

Pakistan produced more than 650,000 motorbikes in the last fiscal. In 2006-07, the motorcycle manufacturers are expected to manufacture over one million units as a result of expansion of the existing plants. According to a study of the EDB, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the East African region could be potential markets for Pakistan-made motorbikes, the official said.

Motorcycles’ manufacturing is a success story in the country. The industry is fully capable of meeting the domestic requirements. It is also capable of competing in the international market as Pakistan-made 70CC motobikes are famous in the international market. This company has been in the export of motorcycles since long, the official said.

TOKYO (AP) - Honda Motor Co. said Friday that its joint venture in Pakistan opened a new motorcycle assembly plant to meet growing demand.

The new 4.5 billion yen ($39.13 million) plant in Lahore is the second motorcycle production plant for the joint venture by Honda in Pakistan, the Tokyo-based manufacturer said in a release.

Honda Motor President Takeo Fukui and Yusuf H. Shirazi, chairman of Atlas Honda Ltd., Honda's joint venture partner in Pakistan, were among people who attended Friday's opening ceremony in Lahore, the release said.

The new plant was constructed in the same compound where Atlas Honda's first plant is located, it said. Combined annual production will increase to 500,000 motorcycles from the current 400,000 motorcycles, the release said.

The new plant, which started operations Friday, is to meet with an increasing demand for motorcycles in Pakistan, Honda said.

Atlas Honda, set up in Karachi in 1962, is owned 35 percent by Honda, 51 percent by Pakistan's Shirazi Family and the remaining 14 percent by other interests, it said.

The motorcycle market in Pakistan is expected to grow to above 800,000 motorcycles in 2006 from around 500,000 in 2005, Honda said. In 2005, Honda sold 328,000 motorcycles, up 40 percent from the previous year, it said.

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